0
Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Usage

Unassisted flight.

Today's (London) Evening Standard reports:
"Appearing like a human bullet out of the sky, Felix Baumgartner today became the first man to fly unassisted across the Channel when he landed with a bump in a Calais field"
... unassisted, that is, if you overlook the fact that he was lifted to
9000 feet in a plane and had a wing strapped to his back, not to mentiona parachute to help him land, albeit with a bump (I assume the 'with a bump' describes the landing, though I guess he could have had a bump before he landed).
(In case you're having difficulty envisaging such a feat, the BBC have very kindly provided a video and a useful little diagram (at the bottom of the page): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3112095.stm )
MM
  

Top answer

[nq:1]Today's (London) Evening Standard reports: "Appearing like a human bullet out of the sky, Felix Baumgartner today became the first ... [/nq] Hmm, they actually state 9000 feet and I typed it without thinking. 9000 metres (or yards) seems more likely, perhaps.

— Usenet

  • [nq:1]Today's (London) Evening Standard reports: "Appearing like a human bullet out of the sky, Felix Baumgartner today became the first ...
  • [/nq] Hmm, they actually state 9000 feet and I typed it without thinking.
  • 9000 metres (or yards) seems more likely, perhaps.
  • MM
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

11 Answers
0
[nq:1]Today's (London) Evening Standard reports: "Appearing like a human bullet out of the sky, Felix Baumgartner today became the first ... assume the 'with a bump' describes the landing, though I guess he could have had a bump before he landed).[/nq]
Hmm, they actually state 9000 feet and I typed it without thinking. 9000 metres (or yards) seems more likely, perhaps.
MM
0
0
[nq:1]Today's (London) Evening Standard reports: "Appearing like a human bullet out of the sky, Felix Baumgartner today became the first ... assume the 'with a bump' describes the landing, though I guess he could have had a bump before he landed).[/nq]
Somebody's got a short memory...from

The original Gossamer Albatross is best known for completing the first completely human powered f
0
0
[nq:2]Today's (London) Evening Standard reports: "Appearing like a human bullet ... guess he could have had a bump before he landed).[/nq]
[nq:1]Somebody's got a short memory...from http://www.byrongliding.com/gossamer albatross.htm: The original Gossamer Albatross is best known for completing the first completel
0
0
[nq:1]Today's (London) Evening Standard reports: "Appearing like a human bullet out of the sky, Felix Baumgartner today became the first ... he was lifted to 9000 feet in a plane and had a wing strapped to his back, not to mention[/nq]
It is not surprising that a busy reporter writes
"unassisted" when he wanted the word "unpowered."

Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Can
0
0
[nq:2]Today's (London) Evening Standard reports: "Appearing like a human bullet ... had a wing strapped to his back, not to mention[/nq]
[nq:1]It is not surprising that a busy reporter writes "unassisted" when he wanted the word "unpowered."[/nq]
To be a purist, h was powered by gravity, a resource donated by the powered aircraft that lifted him to altitude.
Jan Sand
0
0
[nq:2]The original Gossamer Albatross is best known for completing the ... Collier Trophy for his work in the record breaking project.[/nq]
[nq:1]But the claim for this new one is that this is the first crossing of the channel 'without an aircraft', which would be different from the Durex Albatross thingie. This chap did it by strapping special wings to his back and simply gliding.[/nq]
So
0
0
Okay, so this one time? In band camp? sand was all, like:
[nq:2]It is not surprising that a busy reporter writes "unassisted" when he wanted the word "unpowered."[/nq]
[nq:1]To be a purist, h was powered by gravity, a resource donated by the powered aircraft that lifted him to altitude.[/nq]
Depending upon the set of definitions you want to use, he didn't "fly" (as far as I'm concerned
0
0
[nq:1]Okay, so this one time? In band camp? sand was all, like:[/nq]
[nq:2]To be a purist, h was powered by gravity, a resource donated by the powered aircraft that lifted him to altitude.[/nq]
[nq:1]Depending upon the set of definitions you want to use, he didn't "fly" (as far as I'm concerned, he "fell" ... start him off).. I also have issues with the paraphrase ("cross the Channel witho
0
0
[nq:2]But the claim for this new one is that this ... by strapping special wings to his back and simply gliding.[/nq]
[nq:1]So he was piloting a hang glider. One with a lousy L/D as well. BFD. I'm much more impressed by the human-powered endeavour of 1979.[/nq]
Icarus less.

Tony Cooper aka: tony (Email Removed)
Provider of Jots, Tittles, and Oy!s
0
0
[nq:1]Today's (London) Evening Standard reports: "Appearing like a human bullet out of the sky, Felix Baumgartner today became the first man to fly unassisted across the Channel when he landed with a bump in a Calais field"[/nq]
I heard it on the radio news this morning.
Only they said he had jumped across the English channel in a single leap after exiting an aircraft at Mopunt Everest. It
0

Related Questions